Cradle Mountain Snow Reports

[Strider]

Oh. I have a point and shoot. Not much of a photographer but I'll take a few snaps to look back on.

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[Nuts]

Just point and shoot the place will do the rest! (& you need that evidence..)
Now that strider is well underway it's safe to say that the most common remark- 'I wish i'd paid the $200..'
The obvious dilemma, very few walkers over winter (to warrant staff/ extended booking system) and yet few places taken from the system in October.

Anyhow.. some snow on the way later in the week (may have been/ may be washed out pretty quickly with the warmer days and rain).

[kitty]

...the most common remark- 'I wish i'd paid the $200..'
The obvious dilemma, very few walkers over winter (to warrant staff/ extended booking system) and yet few places taken from the system in October.

Hi Nuts, forgive my ignorance, but I dont understand the above.
Just curious, are you saying that people dont walk the OLT (during the booking season) because they dont want to pay $200, ie, they wish they went in non-winter?
Why do so few people walk in October, as you mention? Im curious because Im walking the OLT in couple of weeks - in October
From my research I know its not the best time of year to go weather-wise, but its the only time I could go this year.
Thanks in advance for explaining...Kitty

[Azza]

Why do so few people walk in October, as you mention? Im curious because Im walking the OLT in couple of weeks - in October
From my research I know its not the best time of year to go weather-wise, but its the only time I could go this year.

Wet and Windy season - lots of weather fronts coming through on a pretty regular basis. The weather usually doesn't sort itself out till late November.
Luck of the draw, I've done the OLT is October and we had fantastic weather.
Entirely possibly you could walk the OLT and see lots of cloud. But your not going to know until you turn up.

Of course paying $200 and going in summer doesn't guarantee you good weather either.

[Nuts]

Pretty much as Azza says Kitty changeable weather, though the days are getting longer 12.5 - 13.5hrs over October.
I wouldn't be too bothered walking in October though, you may score a nice stable week.

At least you'll miss the crowds.

If you look at the public booking server, even there weather isn't the only driver, the summer school / xmas holidays seem the first most popular time. Outside that, while ever there is a cutoff (start/end) date there will be a cluster of people trying to leave. Looking at the logbooks in the huts there were a scattering of people over winter right up till late September, 0-5-10per day. If you look at the public booking system, again in early Oct there will be very few leaving. By comparison, last week (with the fee-free period about to end), there were several huts full with some sleeping on the floor, as well as all the provided campsites taken.

[kitty]

Ahh...it just clicked - September is "no-fee" Fees start from October.
Thanks for your replies Nuts and Azza.
Yes, I realise its going to be pot luck with the weather, taking all my warm gear and rain gear.
Will be a little different from last time I walked it, which was Christmas-time and fully booked - might be the only ones out there this time.
Even at Christmas is was cold-ish, windy, driven rain, with a remnant patch of snow on Ossa (But then gloriously sunny as well). Time will tell what October has in store.
Interesting to hear that some huts were full last week.

[kitty]

Today

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[DanShell]

Today

We had a large dump of rain last night and it isn't exactly cold so I don't think that will help the snow chasers

[Nuts]

Some of the drifts are very solid but there's a heat wave coming. It's definitely been awesome winter, a few notches wilder, less tamed.

[north-north-west]

Drifts on eastern and southern flanks are the ones to last. Even Murchison still had drifts over a metre deep just a few days ago, and in higher places some were twice that. But the last few falls were very light and the snow didn't last long once the weather cleared.

[aloftas]

It looks like this at the moment.
I really like this webcam.
I would like to add, that it looks quite still at the moment.
imagine the windchill factor on top of all that humidity, should a storm front roll over?

Brrrrrrrr, is what.

.

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[pazzar]

Some of the drifts are very solid but there's a heat wave coming. It's definitely been awesome winter, a few notches wilder, less tamed.

Very interested to see how much of the big drift underneath the summit track disappears with the upcoming wave.

[Strider]

I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

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[corvus]

I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

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How was the Snow on the track from Rangers Hut to Hanson's Peak

[Strider]

I finished the OLT today and walked through that mess from Scott Kilvert this morning. The wind on Hanson's Peak was so strong we could barely stand up.

The snow on Marion's Lookout was reportedly around knee deep yesterday and I don't think we had any new falls overnight.

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How was the Snow on the track from Rangers Hut to Hanson's Peak

No snow on the track. Just incredibly wet and windy.

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[corvus]

Did you do the Rodway Track by choice or because of the Snow over the Plateau ?

[Strider]

We were a day ahead of schedule as we skipped Bert Nichols and Pelion huts. We decided to overnight at Scott Kilvert for the last night instead and intended to summit Cradle on our final day, until hearing it was very icy and everyone who had attempted the previous day had been unsuccessful.

Snow on the plateau wasn't a deciding factor but given the conditions on the Lk Rodway track we were very glad we didn't go the other way.

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[corvus]

Have done that Hut skip in the past only we did it down hill Windermere to Kia Ora then on to Narcissus and out via Ferry ,only problem was that we were stuck at St Clair for two days waiting for our Bus home might add that was the last time I used the Ferry ,always walk the Lake side Track now.

[Phil]

Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!

[wayno]

Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!

are you aware of the cradle mtn webcam?

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=28485

[Phil]

yes thanks mate

[Son of a Beach]

Anyone have any information on the current snow conditions at either:
- Cradle cirque (if looking to summit Cradle and/or Barn)
- Ossa

Thanks!

Hey Phil! My sister was on the summit of Mt Ossa on the weekend. I saw a photo of them there with some moderate patches of snow up on the summit. They are non-walkers, so if they made it to the summit, then there's not enough snow to make walking, sorry running, difficult.

Last edited by Son of a Beach on Fri 09 Oct, 2015 4:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Son of a Beach]

PS. Here's the photo. Taken on Mt Ossa, on Sunday just gone. The background gives a good indication of general snow conditions as of a few days ago.

Shame about the weather, eh?

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[Overlandman]

Never seen the black rectangle up there before, the things people carry up there.

[Phil]

All good thanks; ran in and out the Arm River track today; spectacular!!

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[Overlandman]

A Southerly blast hit the Overland area last night, with snow settling on the peaks down to Dove Lake.
The Central Plateau looks clear from the Anglers Alliance Web Cams.
Regards OLM

[Overlandman]

Further snow falls yesterday afternoon & overnight.
Also good falls on the Western Tiers clearly visible this morning.
Just drove the Highland Lakes Rd, no snow up there now but it was white on the ground this morning

From ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-27/n ... er/6979504

From the Mercury

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... 7624129518

[Overlandman]

A Southerly blast produced more snow overnight, settling almost down to Dove Lake.
The warm summer sun, when it shows itself will quickly melt it.
Looks cold up there at the moment.
Regards OLM

[Nuts]

Aye it is!

[HikingPilot]

Just got home from hiking the OT in late November. Snow reports were correct with approx. 2-3 inches in the higher elevations.

Amazing hike and quite a contrast to the catastrophic fire conditions that affected SA the very same day.

HikingPilot

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